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Mary Ellen Tichy, longtime resident of Guilford passed away peacefully at Hospital of St. Raphael, New Haven, on Oct. 10. The beloved wife of 61-plus years to Donald Tichy, Mary Ellen was born Oct. 25, 1936, daughter of the late Charles James Lawson and Catherine Josephine Keller Lawson.

She was the loving mother of Debra Tichy and her husband Rich Adua of Madison, Laurie Sue Tichy of Madison, and the late Donald R. Tichy, Jr., and the grandmother of Rachel E. (David) Nourse, Jonathan E. Bremmer, Emma Rose Perry, and Will and Sally Adua. She was predeceased by her brother Charles Lawson, Jr., and sister Barbara Johnson.

Mrs. Tichy enjoyed working as a school teacher for many years at Laneway Nursery School. She also devoted many volunteer hours over the course of her lifetime. Her service was most significant in the lives she touched while volunteering as a counselor for Telephone Line for Crisis. Her family also appreciated the years she dedicated to Brownies, Cub Scouts, Young People’s Fellowship, and Sunday School teaching as well as Vacation Bible School. Mary Ellen was a people person and was lovingly referred to as the non-official Mayor of Guilford—or where ever life took her. She had a gift for empathizing and relating to people regardless of their age, creed, color, or economic status.

The Tichys would especially like to thank all the medical professionals who assisted Mary Ellen throughout the years.

Friends are invited to a memorial service on Friday, Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. in the North Guilford Congregational Church, 159 Ledge Hill Road, Guilford. Burial will be private. Memorial contributions may be to Dog Day Adoption Events, Inc; The Red Dog Project, P.O. Box 64, Old Saybrook, CT 06475. Arrangements are in the care of the Guilford Funeral Home, 115 Church Street, Guilford. To share a memory or leave a message of condolence for the family, please visit www.GuilfordFuneralHome.com.